The present invention relates to a two-part optical fibre adapter means.
This invention is emimently suitable for coupling optical signals in electronic shelf assemblies incorporating plug-in printed circuit boards particularly, although not exclusively, for high density racked optical systems.
A problem with optical fibre connection schemes employing, say, SMA and ST type connectors is that they are not designed with high density racked optical systems in mind.
In a large racked system, for instance, for efficient cable management it is preferable for the optical fibre connections to be from the rear of the printed circuit board frames. Where conventionally mounted active devices e.g. light emitting diodes and photo detectors are employed, in order to remove a printed circuit board, it is necessary to part, or completely withdraw a printed circuit board from the frame to demate the optical terminations, from the active devices mounted on the board.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that it is a time-consuming operation and it gives rise to a further disadvantage in that the cable management arrangement must provide enough cable slack to allow at least partial card removal to demate the optical terminations. Once demated these terminations are potentially vulnerable to damage, or contamination. Additionally it is also quite possible they could drop within the card frame and cause electrical short circuits.
An object of this invention is to provide an optical fibre adapter means which overcomes the beforementioned disadvantages in an efficient manner and which enables active printed circuit board devices to be interfaced to any standard optical fibre connectors.